Swing starter

ABSTRACT

A training device for protecting the hands from contact and teaching proper hand pathway and position during the swinging motion of a baseball bat, tennis racket, cricket bat or golf club prior to contact with a ball, the device comprising a short handle attached to a flat shaped plate an long handle extension, wherein at least one hand grips the handle, resting the base of the hand against and inner surface of the shaped plate during a swing motion, with the swing movement resulting in contact with a ball tossed, thrown or placed upon an adjustable elevated tee, the ball contacting an outer surface of the shaped plate dead center instead of the hitter&#39;s hands, with the plate perpendicular with the ground while the handle is horizontal during the moment of contact with the ball.

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

A training device for protecting the hands from contact and teaching proper hand pathway and position during the swinging motion of a baseball bat, tennis racket, cricket bat or golf club prior to contact with a ball, the device comprising a short handle attached to a flat shaped plate an long handle extension, wherein at least one hand grips the handle, resting the base of the hand against and inner surface of the shaped plate during a swing motion, with the swing movement resulting in contact with a ball tossed, thrown or placed upon an adjustable elevated tee, the ball contacting an outer surface of the shaped plate dead center instead of the hitter's hands, with the plate perpendicular with the ground while the handle is horizontal during the moment of contact with the ball.

2. Description of Prior Art

A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present hand positioning swing training device, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art.

Several training device affect a batter's grip on a baseball bat. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,905,871, to Wagner, a shield is place on a bat handle to provide protection of the hands in a bunt position from ball contact during bunt training, the shield having a presenting plate and two anchor points attaching to the bat. An elevated ridge is attached to the handle portion of a baseball bat in U.S. Pat. No. 7,351,167 to Hathaway, having an arched surface which places the batter's knuckles in alignment while providing fingertip contact with the bat handle to improve tactile sensation of a batter during a swing. A combination bat knob and handle grip is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,731 to Kramer, the resilient grip allowing axial rotation around the bat until such time as a strong grip is applied to the grip. When firmly gripped, the knob and handle grip is prevented from rotation. Yet another hand positioning device is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,675 to Finn which attaches to the end of the bat above the knob to prevent the lower grip hand on the bat from slipping past the knob. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,944,943, to Heiberg, a handle addition intended to but up against a lower hand during a swing for an adjustable choke position on the bat handle is claimed. Another training device, U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,521 to Socci, attaches to the wrist of a new batter, with a cup extension temporarily attaching to a knob of a bat prior to contact, the cup disengaging with the knob during the course of the swing movement. It is intended to stabilize the bat position prior to swing.

Weighted additional to a baseball bat are also disclosed which add weight to the bat for warmup and strength training. A practice bat is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,619 to Turos, which includes a handle sleeve, a screw off knob and a weight placed at the top end of the bat opposite the knob. Three U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,022,281, 5,799,937 and 5,741,193, all to Nolan, disclose weight additions to the knob of the baseball bat. None of these intend for any contact with a baseball to be had. They merely increase the weight of the bat and the knob end.

None of the prior art patents or applications disclose a swing training device which protects the hands and develops a proper swing pathway prior to contact with the ball to be struck, either for baseball, golf, tennis or cricket. The present device provides a shaped contact plate with a flat presenting surface from which extends a rear handle—short for a single hand grip and long for a double hand grip. The device is used with a tossed or thrown ball or an elevated tee, which positions a ball at an appropriate height based upon the height and swing of the hitter, which promotes proper hand position prior to the contact point of the swing with the barrel of the bat, the head of the racket, the club face of the golf club or the blade of a cricket bat.

II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Hitting a ball with a bat, club or racket involves the ability to see the ball as it sits stationary or is directed towards a hitter, and by using and developing coordination between the eyes and the body parts involved in the hitting movement, eventually lead to improved hitting abilities. From the time a person begins a sport, the body is trained to hit the ball better, taking full advantage of the training, technique development and body mechanical improvement. This is done in the presence of training and the amount of time and practice devoted to improvement by the sport participant or athlete.

While different sports require different training, timing and body movement development, especially for those sports that require the development of hitting technique, they all involve a certain series or method of hitting that can be summarized in a few basic steps. In most sports involving the hitting of a ball, that series of movement steps comprises the following basic categories in order as follows: stance, timing transition, hitting position, rotation, contact and extension. Stance is the position a hitter would take prior to any movement. Timing transition is the initial movement from a stance that prepares the body and initiates the swing contact with the moving (pitched, hit or thrown) or stationary (tee) ball. The hitting position is where the body is planted and set prior to ball contact to set the hitter's ground stability and create the movement of the hitters center of gravity moving forward so that rotation can commence. Rotation is the phase where to bat, racket or club travels from the held hitting position through contact, wherein the hands gripping the bat, club or racket, moved at the same time the torso of the hitter is rotated and the weight transfer between the back and front feet of the hitter begins. This rotation phase in the focus of the present training device. Contact with the ball occurs after the rotation phase. If the prior phase movements are proper, this contact is optimal. If the prior phase movements are improper, incomplete or inadequate, then the contact is less than optimal, if any. Extension is the conclusion of the hitting technique, wherein the body movement directed toward the hitting movement ends and the body is then able to focus on the activity following the particular hitting movement. In baseball, the hitter runs to a base. In tennis, the hitter runs to the next spot on the court in the event the ball is returned to them over the net and in bounds. In cricket, the batsman obtains the right to keep hitting if he hits the ball and is dismissed if her does not. In golf, the golfer travels to his next shot where the last shot ended.

In all the above four sports, the body position and hand position at the commencement of the rotation phase is almost identical. This rotation position is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The present hand position or “swing starter” position training device is intended to teach and practice the appropriate position of the hands at the moment in time fixed at the beginning of the rotation phase to optimize the contact phase and success of a hitter in making contact with the ball. Using the present training device repeatedly either alone or in the presence of a coach or sports observer will train a hitter proper body movement and mechanics involved in a proper swing in their chose sport involving the hitting of a ball by a club, bat or racket.

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application.

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a batter swinging a baseball bat in the rotation phase of the swing.

FIG. 2 is a drawing of a batter swinging the present training device in the rotation phase of the swing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the training device.

FIG. 4 is a opposing perspective view of FIG. 3, with the long handle extension attached.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the training device with the plug and the elastic cord shown.

FIG. 6 is a second embodiment of the training device with phantom line shown a baseball bat handle and knob attaching within the resilient hitting instrument receiver.

FIG. 7 is a drawing of FIG. 6 along section lines 7/7.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A swing training device 10, protecting the hands of hitter and training a hitter's hand swing pathway during critical rotational phase during a swing movement, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the swing training device shown in FIGS. 2-7, comprises a contact plate 20, an attached short handle 30 for one hand training and a long handle extension 40 for two handed positional training. The swing training device 10 is used with a tee A upon which is placed a stationary ball B, FIG. 2. It is the objective of the swing training device 10 to place the ball B on the tee A, using the contact plate 20 to make contact with the ball B on the elevated tee A, to; 1) protect the hands of the hitter; 2) locate the handle 30, 40, of the swing training device 10 in a horizontal position with the contact place 20 precisely perpendicular and vertical with the ground at the time of contact, and 3) contact the ball B in a manner to direct the ball B from the tee A on a level and straight forward movement.

The contact plate 20 is a shaped flat composite material having the capacity to withstand repeated contact with a ball on a tee. The preferred perimeter shape of the contact plate is overall circular and bisymmetrical, with an upper and lower concave portion 26, 28 on opposite sides of the contact plate 20, as shown in FIG. 3, although shape of the contact plate may be any flat configuration. The contact plate 20 defines a contact surface 22 and an inner surface 24, the overall center of the inner surface 24 directly attached to a first end 32 of the short handle 30. A second end 34 of the short handle provides a long handle attachment means 36, FIGS. 3-6, shown by the inclusion as an inner threaded bore 38. The long handle extension 40 includes a first end 42 having a short handle attaching means 44, shown in the drawing figures as an outer threaded reduction 46.

The long and short handle attaching means 36, 44, may be provide by any connection which would secure the short and long handle together to maintain the integrity required by a full two handled swing motion. Alternatively, a hitting instrument attaching means 50, indicated as is a resilient hitting instrument socket 52, the handle attached within the resilient hitting instrument socket 52 is the knob D of a baseball bat C, the end of the handle of a tennis racket, the end of a golf club handle or the knob end of the cricket bat handle, these ends and knobs inserting securely within the resilient hitting instrument socket 52 integrated within the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20.

It is also contemplated that the short and long handles 20, 30, may be removably connected to the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20. In all cases the short and long handles 20, 30, should form a radially perpendicular extension when attached to the contact plate 20. It is also contemplated within the scope of the training device to employ and integrate the contact plate with a glove, wristband, wrap, or other connection to the hand providing protection of the hands and also to orient the contact plate prior to the hands to promote the proper swing pathway of the hands during a swinging motion, although these alternative applications are not shown within the drawing figures.

Use of the swing training device 10 is intended to promote proper hand position and pathway movement at the commencement of the rotation phase, previously discussed, at which time such hand position is critical to a proper swing. Use of a tee is strongly encouraged to provide a visual result of a proper and consistent hand position while training the hitter. For a baseball swing, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the knob D end of the bat C is located at the forefront of the swing. This is the location for the ball B spaced upon a stationary tee A, FIG. 2. When the ball is properly struck by the contact surface 22 of the contact plate 20, optimally in the direct center of the contact surface 22, the ball B should leave the tee A in a straight and horizontal position from the tee A, not just once, but every time the swing motion is performed and repeated. Using the short handle 30 only, the lead hand will grip the short handle 20, with the back of the fist of the lead hand against the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20. One could strike the ball with the back of the fist, but that could result in injury during repeated contact over time. The back of the fist is also an irregular and uneven variable surface, with the contact plate 20 thereby enhancing a consistent resultant ball movement from the tee by use of the flat contact surface 22 of the contact plate 20 and protecting the hand from direct contact with the ball, lessening the potential damage to the hand. Two hands are used with the long handle extension 30 for two handed training, with the forward hand against the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20 and the rear hand behind the front hand as they grip the handle, just like one would when holding the bat, racket, golf club or cricket bat. The contact plate 20 in its preferred shape, having the radially opposed concave cutouts 26, 28, is provided to enhance clearance of the tee A during training using a ball B placed upon the tee A, with the orientation of the cutouts 26, 28, being vertically centered. The dual concave cutouts are for the purpose of balance to the contact plate, with the lower oriented cutout making minimal contact with the tee when the contact plate makes contact with the ball positioned atop the tee.

On the embodiment of the training device 10 attaching to the end of the handle of the striking instrument, once placed on the end of the hitting instrument, the same outer surface 22 of the contact plate 20 is directed to the ball B, while the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20 rests against the lead hand grip. The resilient hitting instrument receiver 52 attaches to the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20, further defining a resilient upper collar 54 and a lower fixed base 56, the fixed base 56 being the portion of the resilient hitting instrument receiver 52 in contact with the inner surface 24 of the contact plate 20. The resilient upper collar 54 expands and contracts in an elastic manner, opening under force to insert the end of the hitting instrument (knob, racket handle end, golf club grip end, etc.) and then close around the inserted end to secure the training device to the end of the hitting instrument. An embodiment of a baseball bat training device 10 attaching to the knob D of a baseball bat C is demonstrated in FIGS. 6-7. This embodiment, not necessarily accepting the attachment of a long or short handle, is attached to the baseball bat so that the hitter can experience the full weight of an approved size and weight regulation baseball bat C during swing training and development.

Additionally, resistance training is made possible by use of accessories which integrate with the long handle attachment means in the form of a plug 60 defining a threaded end 62, securing within the long handle attachment means 36, shown in FIG. 5, with a hook member 64 formed at the other end. This hook 64 may be attached to an elastic cord 70, FIG. 5, with the cord attached to a stationary object, not shown. This allows for a force to be required to move the training device to build muscle strength and grip during training, with the cord urging the training device back and requiring force to move the training device through the ball upon the tee. It may also be used without the ball and tee to develop the target skills intended by use of the training device.

While the training device has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A swing training device, protecting the hands of hitter and training a hitter's hand swing pathway during critical rotational phase during a swing movement, the swing training device comprising: a contact plate defining a flat contact surface and an inner surface; an attached short handle providing a first end attached to said inner surface of said contact plate and a second end for one hand training; and a long handle extension defining a first end attaching to said second end for two handed positional training, wherein said flat contact surface of said contact plate is directed towards a ball which is either tossed, thrown or resting upon an elevated tee, said contact plate protecting the hand or hands gripping said short or long handle against said inner surface at a moment of contact between said ball and said flat contact surface thereby developing a proper swing pathway during the rotational phase of the swing movement used in baseball, tennis, cricket, golf or other sports utilizing a club, racket, bat or other striking instrument to hit a ball.
 2. The swing training device, as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising: said contact plate is a shaped flat composite material having the capacity to withstand repeated contact with a struck ball, said contact plate having an overall circular and bisymmetrical shape, defining an upper and lower concave portion on opposing sides of said contact plate for the purpose of balance to said contact plate, with said lower concave portion making minimal contact with an elevated tee when said contact plate makes contact with said ball positioned atop an elevated tee.
 3. The swing training device, as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising: said second end of said short handle providing a long handle attachment means; and said long handle extension providing a first end defining a short handle attaching means to connect and disconnect said long handle extension from said short handle.
 4. The swing training device, as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising: said second end of said short handle providing an inner threaded bore; and said long handle extension providing a first end defining an outer threaded reduction to connect and disconnect said long handle extension from said short handle.
 5. The swing training device, as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising: a plug defining a threaded end, securing within a long handle attachment means of said second end of said short handle, and a hook member formed at a hook end, said hook attached to an elastic cord, said elastic cord further attaching to a stationary object providing a resistance force required to move said training device to build muscle strength and grip during training, with said elastic cord urging said training device backwards and requiring force to move said training device through said swing pathway and to develop the repetitive target skills developed by use of the training device.
 6. A swing training device, protecting the hands of hitter and training a hitter's hand swing pathway during critical rotational phase during a swing movement, the swing training device comprising: a contact plate defining a flat contact surface and an inner surface; and a resilient hitting instrument socket, providing for and conforming to a handle of a hitting instrument which is removably received and secured within said resilient hitting instrument socket, said hitting instrument handle including but not limited to a knob of a baseball bat, an end of a handle of a tennis racket, an end of a golf club handle or a knob end of the cricket bat handle, said ends and knobs inserting securely within said resilient hitting instrument socket integrated upon said inner surface of said contact plate wherein said flat contact surface of said contact plate is held by a hitter using one or two hands and directed towards a ball which is either tossed, thrown or resting upon an elevated tee, thereby protecting the hand or hands gripping said hitting instrument and developing a proper swing pathway during the rotational phase of the swing movement used in baseball, tennis, cricket, golf or other sports utilizing a club, racket, bat or other striking instrument to hit a ball.
 7. The swing training device, as disclosed in claim 6, further comprising: said contact plate is a shaped flat composite material having the capacity to withstand repeated contact with a struck ball, said contact plate having an overall circular and bisymmetrical shape, defining an upper and lower concave portion on opposing sides of said contact plate for the purpose of balance to said contact plate, with said lower concave portion making minimal contact with said tee when said contact plate makes contact with said ball positioned atop said tee. 